Hypertext Webster Gateway: "chaff"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Chaff
the refuse of winnowed corn. It was usually burned (Ex. 15:7;
Isa. 5:24; Matt. 3:12). This word sometimes, however, means
dried grass or hay (Isa. 5:24; 33:11). Chaff is used as a figure
of abortive wickedness (Ps. 1:4; Matt. 3:12). False doctrines
are also called chaff (Jer. 23:28), or more correctly rendered
"chopped straw." The destruction of the wicked, and their
powerlessness, are likened to the carrying away of chaff by the
wind (Isa. 17:13; Hos. 13:3; Zeph. 2:2).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Chaff \Chaff\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Chaffed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Chaffing}.]
To use light, idle language by way of fun or ridicule; to
banter.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Chaff \Chaff\, v. t.
To make fun of; to turn into ridicule by addressing in
ironical or bantering language; to quiz.
Morgan saw that his master was chaffing him.
--Thackeray.
A dozen honest fellows . . . chaffed each other about
their sweethearts. --C. Kingsley.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Chaff \Chaff\, n. [AC. ceaf; akin to D. kaf, G. kaff.]
1. The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from
the seed by threshing and winnowing, etc.
So take the corn and leave the chaff behind.
--Dryden.
Old birds are not caught with caff. --Old Proverb.
2. Anything of a comparatively light and worthless character;
the refuse part of anything.
The chaff and ruin of the times. --Shak.
3. Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
By adding chaff to his corn, the horse must take
more time to eat it. In this way chaff is very
useful. --Ywatt.
4. Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.
5. (Bot.) The scales or bracts on the receptacle, which
subtend each flower in the heads of many Composit[ae], as
the sunflower. --Gray.
{Chaff cutter}, a machine for cutting, up straw, etc., into
``chaff'' for the use of cattle.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
chaff
n 1: material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of
stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
[syn: {husk}, {shuck}, {stalk}, {straw}, {stubble}]
2: foil in thin strips; ejected into the air as a radar
countermeasure
v : be silly or tease one another; "After we relaxed, we just
kidded around" [syn: {kid}, {jolly}, {banter}]
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